U.S. Pat. No. 6,813,781 entitled Protective Glove with Articulated Locking Thumb issued on Nov. 9, 2004. This patent discloses a hockey glove having a thumb member comprising a rigid articulating skeleton having at least two sections pivotably joined together at a pivot and a stop adapted to prevent hyperextension of the thumb. The pivot is disposed on the palm side of the thumb member and the stop is disposed on the back side of the thumb member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,057 entitled Protective Sporting Glove issued on Apr. 8, 2003. This patent discloses a hockey glove having a thumb-receiving portion comprising a rigid thumb skeleton having first and second shell portions that partially overlap one another, the first shell portion covering at least partially the middle phalanx of the thumb, the second shell portion covering at least partially the distal phalanx of the thumb, the first shell portion being hinged to the second shell portion.
There is a need in the industry to provide a hockey glove that increases freedom of movement of the thumb of the player while preventing overbending and hyperextension of the thumb.